


Homecoming

by PrincessMuk



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith really needs to come home, M/M, Mutual Support, Pre Season 5, VLD Ship Exchange, actually a really nice ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 08:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14351619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessMuk/pseuds/PrincessMuk
Summary: Keith comes back to the castle and finds out a few things about himself when he asks Matt Holt for directions. Namely, that he really should come home for good.





	Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [klance-r-us on tumblr :)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=klance-r-us+on+tumblr+%3A%29).



> Written for the VLD Shipping Exchange! I hope you enjoy! Katt is a pretty cute ship, and though this isn’t super romantic, I hope you’ll like the mutual support.

_[Pre Season Five]_

* * *

 

The air was cold in the castle. Colder than Keith remembered it being, at least. The hallway he walked through was dark and vastly empty, every footstep echoing in a way one could only describe as creepy. This was his first time back in the castleship in a long time, and though he’d always consider it home . . . something felt different. Off. Like in the time he’s spent away from it . . . it had become something else. The ship felt bigger. Uninviting. Like it was any other place Keith had left behind right after he’d finally gotten attached. It wasn’t what he’d hoped his homecoming would feel like, but considering his past experiences . . . he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t expected this.

He’d been called back to help the rebels with an infiltration mission because of his Galra features and Blade of Marmora training. As exciting as it was to be on the field, he was feeling a bit uneasy. He wasn’t quite sure why . . . but it probably had to do with the castle, which had been deemed the most efficient way of transportation for them all. That was the only reason he was here, walking alone in a long hallway and trying to remember how to get back to the control room. It wasn’t exactly the reason he’d been hoping would bring him back.

“Lost?”

Keith quickly spun around, knife in hand as he spotted the figure in the distance who’d spoken to him. He recognized it as Matt, Pidge’s older brother and the commander of countless rebels. He immediately felt more comfortable seeing the guy . . . Matt may not have been his best friend, but he was somebody Keith could trust, and they’d fought together before.

Keith knew the Holt siblings had been through a lot lately, and a part of him wondered if he should bring it up . . . maybe even provide some comfort. After all, Keith understood what it was like to not know where one’s family was. But no, this was a professional mission, and Keith couldn’t allow his emotions to get in the way again. Matt might’ve cared a bit more than the others, but he was still just a teammate. If Keith got attached, then he’d just get more hurt . . . but . . . Keith’s stupidly hopeful side supposed that asking for Matt’s help would be the easiest way to get to where he needed, and it could help build the trust between them, which was a must in a stealth mission like this.

“Yeah, sort of,” Keith found himself admitting, though he wasn’t quite sure why. 

“Well, I don’t know my way around very well, but I think I know how to get back to the control room if that’s where you’re headed,” Matt gave a small smile, stopping once he was a few feet away from Keith.

Keith nodded, “It is. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Matt shrugged, then began walking. Keith followed him, taking notice of how Matt slowed his pace a bit so they were walking side by side. “How long have you been gone?”

“Months . . . “ Keith sighed, looking anywhere but Matt’s face. “It . . . it’s been a long time.”

After a moment, Keith heard another question arise.

“You miss them?”

“Y-yeah.” Keith blinked. He was surprised he’d answered so honestly, but Matt was really easy to talk to. There went his plan for keeping his emotions out of things . . . 

“I get it,” Matt continued. “I was separated from my family for a long time, too.”

“Yeah . . . “ Keith bit his lip, then looked to the rebel. “That must have been hard for you. I was lucky enough to leave by my own choice, but . . . you were taken away.”

Matt just nodded. “It was hard, but I learned to survive. Now I’ve found my dad again, and I get to protect the universe with my sister. I’d say things are turning out well, though it would be great if we could win this war in my lifetime.”

“I doubt it . . . “ Keith sighed, “but we can only hope things will get better, right?”

Matt paused for a moment, seeming to think about Keith’s uncertainty for a moment. Keith really shouldn’t have said that . . . it was better to be optimistic, though he had never been that way without reason. “Yeah, I guess so,” Matt finally agreed.

The two were silent for the moment as they walked, the echo of their synced footsteps the only sound present in the dim hallway. He  _ really _ shouldn’t have said that, though it was true, at least in his mindset.

“So . . . Keith?” Matt started, looking a little on edge. Must have been because of the mission.

“Yeah?” Keith rose a brow, looking at Matt out of the corner of his eye for a second as they walked.

“Do you . . . do you think you’ll come back to the castle eventually?” He quickly continued, “I mean, I haven’t known you for very long, but I think everyone really misses you, and the Blade isn’t going to need you specifically forever. N-not that you aren’t needed! I just mean . . . I think everyone wants you to come back.” Matt shyly looked down, obviously avoiding eye contact for the moment. Keith did the same.

“I . . . I don’t know.” Keith answered honestly. He  _ wanted _ to come back. But . . . he didn’t think Matt understood. “If they wanted me to come back, they wouldn’t have let me leave in the first place. Besides, what use am I here? It’s better for me to work with the Blades of Marmora than to sit around the castle and do nothing.”

Matt looked back at Keith for a moment, then gave a small frown. “I don’t mean to bug you about your own business . . . but I really do think they miss you. I don’t think they realized how much they loved having you around until you were gone.”   


“Yeah?” Keith scoffed, “and what do you care? You don’t even know me . . . “ Keith crossed his arms, the very act making him feel a bit safer in the situation. He didn’t mean to be rude or anything, but Matt . . . he wasn’t there before. He’d barely even interacted with Keith. What could he possibly know?

“I care . . . because you seem like a good person. And you said it yourself, you miss them, too. So why stay away?” Matt prodded, voice just as soft as his expression.

Keith stopped walking, looking at Matt for a moment. How had the conversation ended up like this? He was just supposed to be getting directions, not having some therapy lesson. Still . . . maybe he didn't mind all that much. Matt was a good listener, and he gave good advice, even if Keith was afraid to agree with it. 

Why  _ was _ he so afraid?

Was it because of how different Shiro had been lately? Was it because he didn’t know if they’d welcome him back? Was it because he felt like an outsider still, even in his own found family?

“Keith?” Matt’s voice pulled Keith back into reality, where a concerned Matthew Holt was staring at him, now a few inches closer than he was before.

“Sorry . . . “ Keith sighed, shaking his head. He let out a huff of air through his nose, then looked into Matt’s eyes. “I just . . . I think I’m afraid.”

“Afraid?” Matt rose a brow.

“Yeah. I’m . . . “ Keith looked down at his crossed arms. “I’m afraid that things will be different. I mean, they already are. Just look at me! I don’t even know where I am in this stupid castle.” The former paladin’s voice was getting a little higher, and much more desperate. It sounded so weak, but he didn’t really care at the moment. It felt easier to confess all this to Matt, who was, by all means, a stranger to him, than to anyone else. “What if I can’t help them? What if something happens and I’m not where I need to be? What if--”

“ _ Keith. _ ” Matt said firmly, a surprisingly strong hand going to Keith’s shoulder. Keith let out a small gasp, looking back up at the rebel. Keith hadn’t known Matt could sound so commanding with just one word. It was pretty admirable, and a lot intimidating. But also . . . friendly, in a weird way, and exactly what Keith needed. “You’re worrying too much. And . . . from what I know about you, that isn’t very much like you, so this must be a big issue. I get it. But they are going to be  _ so happy  _ when you come back, Keith. More happy than I’ve seen them in  _ months _ .” Keith just blinked, wondering how Matt could read him so well in the little time they’d known each other. “Everything is going to be fine, you just have to trust them to love you.”

Keith looked down for a moment, “trust . . . isn’t really something I use sparingly.”

Matt lifted Keith’s face back up, giving a strong yet comforting expression. “I get it. You’ve been hurt. But these people would never hurt you, Keith. If they did, I’d give them the most boring, most Iverson-esque speech they’ve ever heard, okay?”

“Why . . . “ Keith could feel his cheeks heating up at the contact Matt kept making. “Why are you so set on this?”

“Because, Keith,” Matt gave a soft smile, “you deserve to be happy.”

“I . . . you think so?” Keith blinked, suddenly feeling a bit breathless for some reason. Matt had a weird effect on him . . . he had no idea what it meant, but his heart was racing, and his palms felt rather sweaty underneath his gloves. What the heck was happening?

“Yes,” Matt’s smile was a constant in the exchange, his expression soft and welcoming. “And I know the team feels the same way.”

Matt had a point. Maybe the team  _ did _ want him to come back. Or, even if they didn’t . . . it couldn’t hurt that bad to  _ try _ , right?

“Yeah.” Keith smiled after a moment, heart stopping when Matt’s expression seemed to light up at his agreement. “I’ll try and come back . . . after our mission.”

“Sounds perfect,” Matt grinned, then after a second or so, realized he was still gripping Keith’s shoulder. He quickly took his hand back, giving a nervous chuckle as his face flushed. “A-anyway, the control room is just after this hallway.”

Keith looked away from Matt to scan his surroundings, which were starting to look familiar, and nodded. “Yeah, I think I remember that.” He looked back to his friend (were they friends now?) and smiled again. “Thanks for helping me find my way.”

“No problem, Keith.” Matt returned the smile. “I’m always here to help.”

The raven-haired boy bit his lip as he heard that, eyes searching for sincerity in Matt’s expression. Did he really mean that? Keith found himself hoping so. There wasn’t any way to know for sure, and people had definitely made false promises to him before, but something about this moment . . . it seemed real.

As the control room doors opened, Keith realized that Matt’s company was something he wasn’t sure he wanted to be without anymore, especially on this mission. He was really easy to talk to, even more so than Shiro (especially lately), and he really was a great person. Keith wished he and Matt could get closer, but a part of him worried he wouldn’t get the chance to. Still . . . he wanted to, and even if it might never happen . . . he was determined to try.

With that in mind, Keith gave Matt a soft smile, then turned his attention to Coran, who was right about to hand out their assignments.

As the old man spoke to everyone, Keith couldn’t help but smile. This was where he wanted to be. In the castle, getting orders from Coran, his old and new teammates by his side. He snuck a glance at Matt, and his smile softened. Something about Matt being part of their group felt all the more right to Keith. Matt’s gaze suddenly went from Coran to Keith, and for a moment they just . . . looked at one another. Then, Keith gave an awkward wave, still smiling, and Matt smiled back, winking (why was Keith’s heart suddenly bursting--) and then looking back to Coran.

After maybe a second more, Keith returned his attention to the mission, though his heart felt like a million butterflies were flying around inside of it, and he found himself thinking that he wanted things to be like this forever.

With any luck, they would be.

 


End file.
